Bhubaneswar, Jun 03 (UNI) Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has requested the External Affairs and Civil Aviation Ministries to arrange direct flights for Odias stranded abroad to help them return to their home state.
In two separate but similar letters to External Affairs Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar and Minister of state for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri, Mr Pradhan yesterday said he has received several representations from Odia persons living abroad requesting for their repatriation directly to Bhubaneswar.
The letter was released to the media here today.
The Odia community representatives living in GCC countries, United Kingdom, and Sri Lanka have made specific requests to travel back from their respective capital cities to Bhubaneswar directly, the Union Minister said.
Mr Pradhan said since they are in good numbers in these countries, point to point direct flights may be arranged from the cities like Dubai, Doha, Dammam, Muscat, Bahrain, Colombo and London to Bhubaneswar, which would also make commercial sense for the airlines.
He requested that point to point direct flights may be arranged for their return directly to Bhubaneswar which would go a long way in helping them during this time of crisis.
UNI BD KK